Water and Fire
by kattfan12001
Summary: When a recuse turn out to be a trap. Thunderbird four is left defenseless and gets rescue by an unknown sub. Who is the pilot and what news does she brings that will strike fear to the Tracy Island residents?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own thunderbirds...My muses are on over time with this story. And yes I'm still working on when the little rock turns to dust. I just have I little bit of writer block.**

* * *

The rescue felt wrong from the start.

Scott in Thunderbird One hovered over the spot where he had seen Thunderbird Four submerge into the ocean. Virgil and John were nearby in Thunderbird Two trying to make contract with their missing red headed brother. They hadn't heard anything for the last thirty minutes.

Gordon frowned at the communication box in Thunderbird Four and began to wonder why one of his three older brothers hadn't tried to contact him yet. He then saw the tourist sub that had sent the call. It was lying on the bottom of the ocean.

"Coral Waves, this is international rescue, come in Coral Waves"

There was only radio silence.

Gordon tried another frequency but failed to hail the sub's crew. Gordon then decided to do a heat reading and found nothing on the sub. Not one heat reading. That made no sense to the aquanaut. The captain of the sub said they had at least five hours of oxygen.

Then something shook Thunderbird Four.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rachael Leigh Bell was looking at her screens in her sub call Ignis Unda. She was satisfied that the systems were moving smoothly. Her plans for the day were simple. Meet her contact in New Zealand at twelve hundred hours, New Zealand standard time (NZST). However, something she had learnt long ago was that nothing goes to plan. Something had brought her attention to the radio. The voice wasn't familiar to her. She was about to switch frequencies when she realised it was someone calling for help.

She quickly got the computer to pick up the signal and hopefully pin point it's location. Then something else caught her eye. Whoever was calling for help was going to get into more trouble. She then quickly switched off the auto pilot and steered towards the direction where help was needed.

What she wasn't prepared for was seeing the yellow submarine being targeted. In fact she wasn't expecting to see the sub from International Rescue at all. This was going to be hard to explain why she was going to be late. She would have to come up with a story about her sub having problems later.

That at least sounded more reasonable and less difficult to explain.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gordon glared at the small black sub that had caused half of his systems to fail on Thunderbird Four. Gordon could only watch as the black sub was preparing to fire once more. And what made it worst he couldn't fire back.

The missile systems where down.

Gordon closed his eyes. Then he heard an explosion which rocked his sub once more. The red head opened his eyes and saw a slivery blue sub that look like a small jet plane but with really short wings.

"That was close" A female voice said over the radio.

Gordon was going to say something until he heard his three older brothers over the radio.

"Gordon are you alright…come on answer me?" John's voice was a mixture of both concern and fear.

"Gordo this isn't funny…your scaring us now" Virgil said with worried in his tone.

"Gordon I swear to god if your alive I'll make sure you do check lists for the rest of your sorry days!" Scott shouted obviously scared.

"Half of Thunderbird Four systems are down" Gordon started.

"Don't forget the part that you walked into a trap and there are five more enemy subs coming this way" the female voice said.

"Ok who are you?...and why are you on this frequency?" Scott asked.

"Thunderbird Four can you move?" the female asked choosing ignore the question and wanting to get down to business.

"Negative" Gordon replied.

Racheal looked over the screens to her left. She could see how close the subs she had now dubbed as the enemy and to make it worst the yellow sub couldn't move which meant she had to tow the sub up before any more harm could be done to it. She looked at her screens to the right of her looking for the points to shot her magnetic clamps.

"Gordon what does she mean by walking into a trap?" John asked.

"The sub was empty….not one life sign" Gordon said before feeling a sudden pulling motion "Whoa…what are you doing?"

"Towing you to the surface…you can't move and I highly doubt your colleagues would want you to be a sitting duck…or in this case a sitting fish."

"Guys I've just pick up on the five frequencies …they are coming in fast" John said.

Racheal quickly set the sub to track the five enemy subs that were heading their had to come up with a plan and fast. She looked up how far they were to the surface.

"Thunderbird Four how close to the surface do you need to be for one of your craft to pick you up?"

"Ten metres"

"Ten?"

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"We're 100 metres now….the enemy craft are now a fifty metres and closing….I might be able to do both…it's going to be a rough ride" Racheal said thinking out loud.

"Both?" Virgil, Scott, John and Gordon said in unison.

"Tow and if I have to….fight" Racheal said

"Fight? Gordon what the hell is going on down there?" Scott asked.

"I'll explain later. Right now you'll need to worry about getting your colleague and the sub out ASAP" Racheal said.

Gordon read the instrument that told him how far to the surface he was.

"Eighty metres, seventy five, seventy" Gordon's thoughts stoped as his sub rocked again.

"_Here they are"_ Racheal thought to herself then something hit the side of the sub causing her to narrow her eyes _"they scratch the sub…now they die."_

Gordon could only watch helplessly as a missile hit the Ignis Unda on the side just after it had taken down two of the five black subs that had surrounded them.

The warning sounds fill the cock pit of Racheal's sub. She quickly turned the ear piercing sound off as she glanced at the status that popped up on the screens to the right.

It wasn't good.

She needed to take down the other three subs and fast. She had her next target in sight and prepared to fire once more.

Gordon looked over the status of his sub and tried to reboot the system. He looked up just in time to see the third sub explode. Then Gordon heard the sound he wanted to hear the most. His sub was back on line and ready to go.

Racheal gave a sigh of relief when she heard confirmation that Thunderbird Four had successfully rebooted after she had taken down the fourth sub. She had just brought in the tow line when the fifth sub had started to attack the other side of her already damaged sub. Racheal smiled. She had learnt long ago not leave anything to chance. She knew her sub like the back of her hand.

Racheal after all was the one who designed it.

With one push of the button the sub's side missile launched and hit the target. She then decided to scan for more of these black subs.

There were none.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

John looked over at the computer screen and had seen that the unknown female had managed to bring down the five subs. He was getting worried as he saw how slow the sub had become. Virgil could see the frown across the blonde's face.

"What is it?"

"I think the friendly sub must have taken some damage. It slowed down quite a bit." John replied.

"She could also be taking some precaution?"

However that thought went out of the window when they saw the damage on one side of thunderbird Four.

Scott was relived to see the small yellow sub surface. He then frowned at the damage on the left side.

"Thunderbird Four to Thunderbird One can you heard me?" Scott asked.

"Loud and clear" Gordon replied then let out a sigh.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm ok though it looks like I've got some work ahead of me"

"What about the other" Scott stoped as he saw the silvery blue sub emerge from the ocean.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Racheal sighed as she allowed her sub to bob up and down with the waves before slowly standing up. She ran a diagnostic check while she carefully opened the side hatch. She had to bite back a curse. The enemy subs had manage to do damage not only first of the three layers but the second layer of the hull as well. She had already guessed there were at least two weeks' worth of work on the one side alone.

"Iginis Unda come in Iginis Unda"

Racheal went to her radio "this is Iginis Unda"

"This is Thunderbird Two will you need assistance?"

Racheal turned her attention to the diagnostic report and it didn't looked good. And as the Iginis Unda was proving its point. The lights flickered throughout the tiny sub before all the systems shut down.

"No. No. NO….don't give up yet" Racheal whispered as she flicked a few switches and nothing happened.

Her plan for the day was simple. She was meant to meet her contact today in New Zealand.

That wasn't going to happen.

* * *

**I hope you like this chapter. I would also like to thank my beta. who is also is having little rock turns to dust withdrawals. please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own thunderbirds. I do own Racheal (if you want her you need to message me first). Wen the little rock turns to dust is still getting written I'm just going backwardswith it (it seems to help with the writers block). Thank you for those who had review so far. Your the best! Now on with the story.**

* * *

Both Gordon and Virgil climbed aboard the Ingis Unda, after ten minutes of failing to hail the pilot on board. Both brothers saw the only light the sub seemed to have was coming thought the windscreen. Even then there was very little of it. With little light and no sound caused some concern. Both scanned with their eyes for signs of life.

Then suddenly the sound of someone playing with the switches made them look towards directions of the windscreen once more.

"Hello?" Gordon called out.

"Who's there?" The female questioned and had aimed the flash light, to the relief of both brothers, at their feet.

"We're from international rescue…you helped a colleague of mine" Virgil said.

"Ah" Racheal answered before turning her flash light back to the controls and turning a few more switches.

Then the three occupants heard a hum of the engines and the lights flickered back on but unfortunately lasted less then a minute before surrounding them in darkness once more.

"This sub is becoming a little bugger" Racheal said rubbing her hands on her face before turning in the direction of where she had heard the two male voices "how can I help you gentlemen?"

"Actually we came to see if you were ok….you didn't reply back" Virgil said.

"Well the communication systems are fried…and it appears it's not the only one" Racheal said before getting out of her seat.

"In other words your sub is dead" Gordon said.

"pretty much" Racheal stared before turning her flash light into a lamp which helped lighten up the sub a bit better but the action alone made her wrist protest and cause her to winch.

"Are you ok?" Virgil asked while Racheal hooked the lamp up.

"I've had worst…nothing a bandage can't fixed" Racheal said going into a cupboard and grabbing a bandage nearby.

"Is there anything we can help you with…um miss?" Gordon asked.

"Just call me Racheal….What are my chances of getting my sub transported and maybe a phone call? I don't like to keep my contact waiting" Racheal inquired

"After what you did today I would say more than likely" Virgil said "after I've seen to your wrist."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Racheal slowly walked around her sub checking the tie down ropes making sure it was indeed secure on Thunderbird Two. She then ran her uninjured left hand over where most of the damage had taken place. She was already calculating how long it would take to repair and the amount of paperwork she would have to fill plus the report on an attack on an organisation she now would have to type.

"_I could always start on that report while I wait"_ Racheal thought to herself _"so much for the week off after seeing my contact today"_ then another voice broke through her thoughts.

"You wanted to call someone?" John asked while holding onto a laptop in his hand. She had also noticed the one called Virgil wasn't far behind.

"If possible" Racheal said.

John placed the laptop on the short wings of Racheal's submarine while setting up the vid-link for her. Racheal had already concluded that security was still high on the agenda for the IR. So she wasn't surprised how particular they were. In fact being a WASP investigator and having to deal with other agencies from time to time over the last four years had taught her that.

The fact that they were willing to drop her off to the nearby WASP base was good enough. But it intrigued her that they we're allowing her to call her contact. She decided to keep her conversation short and sweet.

Racheal gave a smile of thanks as she saw John move aside allowing her to step forward and arrange the laptop so that her sub was in the background, this earned approving glances by both John and Virgil. Racheal knew how to keep a secret and she wasn't going to blow this one.

She quickly typed in the number before smiling at the screen.

"Why Racheal darling I started to wonder where you were" the British blonde said.

"Unfortunately I came across some trouble with the Vindicta un Salvum"

"The Vindicta?...where are you now?"

Racheal now realised she had to think of the name of the last navy ship she was on. As far she knew her secret service agent had no connections to international rescue. Then Virgil had broken her train of thought.

"Lady Penelope?"

"Virgil? John?" Penny questioned "How do you know Racheal?"

Racheal then found both the blonde and brunet standing on either side of her but her attention was on the blonde haired lady on the screen.

"He doesn't…We're taking her to the nearest base….After all she rescued Gordon" John said.

"Is Gordon ok?" Penny asked.

"If you count being attacked by a reported total of six subs, and not to mention that thunderbird four had no communications being ok…then this is ok" Virgil said clearly not happy with the situation that had happened only two hours ago.

Racheal decided to cut to the chase and gave more details.

"Penny, they attacked the yellow sub and somehow managed to disable it to the point it couldn't move nor use a missile. Then they sent the other five subs that would have finished the job" Racheal then saw both the blonde and brunette turn pale.

"It's not the first time the group used such a tactic" Racheal said coldly.

"How is it that you heard Gordon but we couldn't for a short period of time?" John asked.

"It's an A.I communication program. It stopped the Vindicta from jamming communications. If they try this program just changes frequencies and picks up another…which would explain how I managed to come across your frequency by mistake" Racheal said "I wouldn't be too surprised if the first sub had planted some sort of jamming device on the yellow sub before showing itself to attack….the Vindicta are like that…especially their leader"

Penny looked at her with question look "So you have found out who their leader is?"

"That I have" Racheal said

"I'm not going to like this answer am I?"

"I'm afraid not. But now I'm not looking for two people…I will be only looking for one."

Penny narrow her eyes "Who is it?"

"He now calls himself the Cucullo…his real name is Trangh Belegant but he called himself something else three years ago" Racheal started.

Penny's eyes widened and finished Racheal's sentence "The Hood"

"Impossible…he was executed three years ago" Virgil said.

"Someone was executed…but it wasn't The Hood" Racheal said.

Penny bit her lip before specking again "John. Virgil. I'm going to talk to your father. Racheal don't say anything more until I call you back."

Then the screen went blank causing Racheal to look over at both international rescue operatives who looked like they wanted to know more.

Racheal only shook her head and gave an apologetic look "Sorry boys but you heard her ladyship."

* * *

**Please review**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so sorrrryyy! I've been so busy...and I lost the cable to the laptop. this is where I miss my desk top computer. Now don't own the thunderbirds.**

* * *

Alan was waiting patiently along with his father and oldest brother Scott. It was clear that neither his father nor brother where satisfied with the report that Gordon was ok. Not until they saw the aquanaut for themselves.

But then neither was he.

They watched for the side door to open on Thunderbird Two where the red head had appeared. Alan knew that it was both John's and Virgil's doing. Saving both the commander and the field commander's time finding the aquanaut.

"Are you ok…You're not hurt anywhere?" Jeff asked holding Gordon at arm's length while looking for injuries.

"I'm fine" Gordon replied.

"Are your sure? You look a little pale" Scott said

"Again I'm fine….Virgil had already check me over" Gordon said but found himself being hugged by his father and then by Scott.

"I'm ok guys…I've been through worst" Gordon said before adding "Scott, I need my lungs to breath."

Scott lets go instantly "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Positive" Gordon said while leading both his father and older brother off the small ramp and onto the walk way where Alan was waiting.

Gordon gave Alan a smile before asking "Hi squirt, miss me?"

Alan quickly gave the aquanaut a hug "Are you really ok?"

"Oh god, not you as well" Gordon said with a smirk then saw how worried Alan had been. That was the one thing the four older Tracy brothers wanted to avoid more than anything else.

Making the youngest Tracy worry.

"Do you think you'll get rid of me that easily? I'm sorry to say this but you're stuck with four older brothers to pester you" Gordon said with a smile.

Alan return a soft smile before turning his attention to what Scott and their father where looking at. He looked down on the yellow sub that was now on the conveyer belt for everyone to see. Gordon saw Alan's mouth and eyes go wide open at the damage the sub had received before his blue eyes looked back at the aquanaut.

"If you think that's bad….you should see how much the other sub had taken" Gordon said flatly before wrapping his arm around his younger brother's shoulder then move him away from the railing.

"How's are the studies going?" Gordon asked, knowing Alan had wanted to stay behind to finish his assignment after being reassured that he wasn't needed for the rescue.

"I kind of got distracted after we lost contact with you for over thirty minutes." Alan said placing his right arm around Gordon's shoulder.

Gordon sighed before replying "You know kiddo, we really need to find you another place to study apart from Dad's office."

"If you remember correctly you were the cause of why I have to do schooling in his office."

"So I pulled a prank."

"Which involved me without a laptop and there was no way I was going to borrow anyone else's in case you planed something else."

"And if you remember I had to clean the 'Birds' One to Four inside and out."

"And the mole….don't forget the mole" Alan said smiling as he remembered.

_Scott and Virgil at the time had nick picked at every speck of dirt Gordon had missed on the mole. While on the other side of the tunnelling machine John had reapplied dirt marks._

_Gordon had seriously thought he had gone insane. Their father and his youngest brother had been watching the whole act. In fact their father had let it continue for quite some time before putting a stop to it (only after he had gone into his office with the youngest blonde to laugh it off)._

_Gordon learnt his lesson that day. John's quietness plus Scott's field commander mode, plus Virgil's creative mind means you give a reason for the older brothers to become united._

_You'll be saner that way. _

Gordon then moved Alan away from Thunderbird Two's hanger and into the entrance to the office with both Scott and their father closely following behind. It only just proved to the red head how scared his family had been.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was official.

She wasn't in New Zealand and it wasn't a WASP base. She had found herself in the hanger of Thunderbird Two. The sound of the conveyer belt moving had brought her attention below the ramp that connected Thunderbird Two and the main walk way that seemed to hug the sides of hanger. Her attention however was solely on her sub that was now on the conveyer belt.

In fact she didn't even notice John was standing next to her until she heard his voice.

"Come on…our commander is waiting."

Racheal quickly glanced down back at her sub seeing that it had disappeared causing her to frown.

John chuckled before saying "I'll take you down later if you need to grab anything else from it"

"No I've got what I need for the moment" Racheal said holding her laptop bag "I'm more worried about what you are going to do with my sub?"

"It will be fine…we won't hurt your baby" John said with a smile before leading her away from the hanger.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jeff was standing in front of his desk as Racheal entered his office. Onaha, Kyrano and Tin-Tin had taken one couch. Brains, Fermat and Alan had taken another with John joining them. Gordon, Virgil and Scott had taken chairs that had come from the balcony. Standing beside Jeff's desk was Penny.

Jeff held out his hand to Racheal which she shook.

"Jeff Tracy. On behalf of international rescue we would like to thankyou for saving Gordon today."

"Lieutenant Commander Racheal L Bell from WASP investigator unit…but for today call me Racheal and it was my pleasure."

Jeff quickly introduced her to those in the room before getting to the point.

"It appears you have some news."

"Yes Commander."

"Call me Jeff."

"Ok… Jeff, are you sure you want the trainees to hear this?" Racheal asked looking over where Alan and his friends where sitting.

"I'm afraid we can't keep it from them. I had already discussed it with their parents"

Racheal nodded before handing over her laptop bag to Penny who was getting it connected to the nearby big screen. She then turned to the group in fount of her.

"As you may…or may not have heard that three years ago Trangh Belegant…or The Hood was sentenced to death by firing squad….the execution had taken place….however it wasn't The Hood." Racheal paused.

She couldn't help but notice that the two of the three thunderbirds in training where looking a little pale. Onaha had wrapped an arm around Tin-tin's waist while Kyrano had put one hand on top of his daughter's hand. Brains had gently placed a hand on Fermat shoulder and did not remove it. A pale John had placed a hand on a very pale Alan's arm.

Racheal then looked over to Penny who had nodded her to continue.

"It was in fact Chester Helm" Racheal finished.

"Chester Helm…., wasn't he the judge who sentenced the Hood to death?" Virgil asked.

"The same man…In the report the Hood had somehow drugged the guards and had gotten them to kidnap the Judge, however it wasn't drugs. It was his mind powers….they had underestimated him…by the time a medic had pronounced Mr Helm dead the Hood had already been gone for a week….. The Vindicta had shown up six months later but wasn't conceded as a threat…two years ago they had attacked one of the WASPs subs. They are the same group that went after Thunder Bird Four this afternoon."

Racheal stopped and looked around the room seeing that they were looking over at where Gordon was sitting.

"I'm fine…Even Virgil gave me a once over" Gordon said.

"He's ok...though, if anything hurts you are going to report it straight away….promise?" Virgil said using the you-better-or-else tone.

"I promise" Gordon said holding his hands up in front are to say I-give-up motion.

Then Racheal saw the group turn their attention back to her. She hated being in the lime light.

"How long had you had this information that the hood is the Vindicta's leader?" Penny asked.

"For a week."

"Do you have an idea where he is at the moment?" Scott asked.

"His like smoke. You see him then he disappears. Even the world's top investigators are having trouble keeping track of him."

"Could it be possible that he could attack again?" Alan asked with a shaken tone while looking over to his father.

"I wish I could say no…however it's definite that he will go after International Rescue…..There are those who we are aware are loyal to the hood and those who are in for revenge" Racheal answer.

"Revenge?" Gordon questioned.

"Vindicta un salvum…means revenge the unsaved in Latin. The Hood had them believe that you could have saved their love ones"

"But we can't save everyone" Virgil said.

"Grief can make people do stupid things. They make the wrong choices and not to mention they are driven by their unstable emotions….that alone is enough for them to be easy prey to the Hood."

* * *

**this will be the last update of the year as i work in retail and my hours are going to be wild for the next few weeks. Happy Holidays and happy new year. Please review.**


End file.
